The present invention provides for secured utilization of an encrypted backup archive. The instant invention advances the art by allowing its practice to be supported via an encrypted communications protocol interfacing with, and relying upon, the teachings, practices and claims disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/239,425 and 09/255,837 (hereinafter synonymously referred to as “Secure Agent” or “SA”).
Secure Agent Service Overview
The following overview is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the teachings of the instant invention. Secure Agent utilizes a secure login sequence wherein a client connects to a Secure Agent server using a key known to both systems and a client connects and presents the server with user identification (as used herein the term “client” refers synonymously to a remote user establishing, and communicating with the instant invention through Secure Agent allocation and encryption processes as taught in the above noted applications). If recognized, the Secure Agent server initiates a protocol whereby the client's identification is verified and subsequent communication is conducted within a secured (encrypted) construct. For purposes of this overview, the term “server” should be considered a hardware configuration represented as a central processing unit wherein Secure Agent and Host DLL's are executed. The term “DLL” as used herein refers to a Secure Agent host dynamically linked library (a.k.a. Host DLL). The term “DLL” or “dynamically linked library” is used in a manner consistent with that known to those skilled in the art. Specifically, the term “DLL” refers to a library of executable functions or data that can be used by a Windows application. As such, the instant invention provides for one or more particular functions and program access to such functions by creating a static or dynamic link to the DLL of reference, with “static links” remaining constant during program execution and “dynamic links” created by the program as needed.
The Secure Agent server presents a variable unit of data, such as the time of day, to the client as a challenge. The client must then encrypt that data and supply it back to the server. If the server is able to decrypt the data using the stored client's key so that the result matches the original unencrypted challenge data, the user is considered authenticated and the connection continue. The key is never passed between the two systems and is therefore never at risk of exposure.
The initial variable unit of data seeds the transmission of subsequent data so that the traffic for each client server session is unique. Further, each byte of data transmitted is influenced by the values of previously sent data. Therefore, the connection is secure across any communication passageway including public networks such as, but not limited to, the Internet. The distance between the client and server is not of consequence but is typically a remote connection. For accountability purposes, the actions of a client may be recorded or logged to non-volatile storage at almost any detail level desired.
The access rights of each client (what the client is able to accomplish during a session) is governed by data stored on the Secure Agent server to which the client is associated. As an example, such rights might encompass the ability to administer and utilize the services of the server system, which would, in turn, include capabilities such as adding new client users, changing a user's rights, loading new code to the server, using a feature (or service) of the server and more.
Consequently, Secure Agent allows for the transmission of new code to the server and for that code to be implemented upon demand by a client. Such dynamic, real-time implementation in turn, allows for the behavior of the server to be modified. It is to this behavior modification the instant invention addresses its teachings, and thereby advances the contemporary art.
As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, though the instant invention utilizes encryption/decryption and code recognition technology associated with Secure Agent, an alternative technology may be employed in support of the instant invention without departing from the disclosure, teachings and claims presented herein.